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Goblin
Goblin was the common term for members of the Bakemono race. Appearance Native to the Shadowlands, they were small in size, around three to four feet in height. Hunched and twisted, with mouths full of sharp, misaligned teeth, goblins varied in color from pale green to dark olive. They never cleaned and reeked of unspeakable filth. Typically, goblins were very low in intelligence, violent in temper, and generally lack a sense of self preservation. Legend had it that goblins were the first failed attempt of Fu Leng to create a powerful army. The Book of the Shadowlands, p. 40 They had a language of their own, but it was too guttural for humans to understand. Game Master's Guide; 2nd Ed, p. 133 They were found in loose-knit tribes of several dozen, or “war parties” of twenty or thirty. In battle, they relied on swarming attacks and an absolute fearlessness to counteract their lack of skills or quality weapons. Clan War: The Clans, p. 58 Goblin sometimes referred to themselves as the Squat People. Kappuksu's Story, by Ree Soesbee History Goblins were subdued by the nezumi empire. Clan Letter to the Nezumi #6 (Imperial Herald v2 #6) When Fu Leng fell from the Celestial Heavens in the middle of this empire, and began to destroy the nezumi cities, the bakemono were eager to offer their strength to the Dark Lord. The Last Rememberer, Part One, by Rich Wulf Gingwich, the goblin leader, swore fealty to the Dark Kami. For his loyality, the goblins were given the power of Night and the darkness. Way of the Shadowlands, pp. 42-43 Fu Leng's followers Fu Leng could create as many goblins as he wished, as merely reflections of his own mind. They had little will of their own, and they could not fulfill a god's basic need - to be worshiped. Bearers of Jade, p. 130 Goblins in Battles Goblins were often found in the front lines of most Shadowlands attacks, since they were considered the most disposable of the Shadowlands forces. Goblins would follow any leader who had proven he could kill them. It was not so much that they respected such a leader, or even feared for their little lives, they just served out of total terror. The Book of the Shadowlands, p. 49 Their main asset was strength of numbers, with berserker enthusiasm in battle. Goblins had no regard for their own lives; they did not understand the concept of death. The Book of the Shadowlands, p. 56 Magic Mud Goblins had a habit to mimick everything they saw or heard. As a result they imitated in their own creative way the flamming arrows they saw in battle. The last of their techniques was a sort of goblinoid fire missile. They found a very flammable mixture - called Magic Mud - and designed a tactic which could be very unsettling when first seen. The goblins would dip one of their fellows in the Magic Mud, then set it alight. The Magic Mud Goblin would then run screaming in agony towards the samurai ranks or be thrown in any way possible. This often wounded or killed astonished samurai, not expecting such a scene. It was considered an honor among certain tribes to be rolled in this black muck, as they explained the wailing of the flaming goblin was merely Fu Leng bestowing upon them a sort of holy battle fury. The Book of the Shadowlands, p. 57 Breeding Goblins bred extremely quickly and in large numbers. This kept their population very high in the Shadowlands, despite their enormous casualty rate. The breeding period is not really definite but existed all the while. During this period of the year, goblins would engage in strange rituals like fighting until exhaustion, urination contests or fits of shrieking. The Book of the Shadowlands, p. 46 The goblin race comprised over fifty percent of the entire population of the Shadowlands, perhaps even as much as two-thirds. Way of the Shadowlands, p. 46 Territory While goblins had no designated territory, they do meet at what was called the Big Stink, named by others for the awful stench that came from having so many bakemono in one place. Big Stink was an old Crab keep, long since forgotten, but its walls still stood. Nowadays, the goblin city still thrives, under the protection of the Kuni family, which use this city as a living experiment of goblin society. The Book of the Shadowlands, p. 55 Leadership In recent times, a large goblin named Basher who had the ability to speak and reason attempted to out breed all other goblins in hopes of creating a stronger goblin race. He was reasonably successful, and recently the average goblin had become more aggressive, larger, and more intelligent. The Book of the Shadowlands, pp. 41-43 Shaman Goblins were not very good at magic as they lacked the focus and discipline that made most spellcasters effective. The few that did manage to produce some magic, known as Goblin Shamans, had a hard time doing it, and an even harder time doing other things at the same time. The Book of the Shadowlands, p. 41 Warmongers The Goblin Warmongers were bigger and smarter than their normal counterparts, and this showed in their capability of using armor and swords left by dead bushi. If goblins raided a Crab fortification it wes usually the warmongers who were leading the way. Kings Goblin Kings had been renowned for being invincible. Their quick rise to power among goblins and the solid hierarchy and organisation they gave to their tribe was quite astounding. In spite of their warmonger-like appearance, they were in fact small Oni created by Fu Leng to give some more structure to the goblin species. The Book of the Shadowlands, p. 51 Military Units Goblins had very little military structure, and most goblins fought in very primitive ways. Some did excel at certain things such as melee combat or throwing things. Below are notable types of goblin military units. * Goblin Berserkers * Goblin Chuckers * Goblin Mobs * Goblin Sneaks * Goblin Wizards Omoni The creature known as Omoni was well known for his experiments in breeding goblins and creating stronger and smarter breeds. He created many goblins that were superior to the natural goblins inhabiting the Shadowlands. Before the bakemono were remade, they had been treated cruelly. But the goblins had changed and a single bakemono was a fierce, savage creature and it was rare to ever draw the wrath of only one. When angered they swarmed in a frenzy of chaos and destruction. A Moment of Regret, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf Schism These stronger bakemono quickly multiplied and devoured their weaker brethren, nearly replacing the entire Shadowlands population of bakemono within a generation. Secrets of the Shadowlands, p. 14 Several of the survivors worked to show they were better than the brutal breed created by Omoni. Scenes from the Empire II, by Nancy Sauer Kokujin Kokujin tattooed goblins and trained them in Kaze-do, the secret Dragon style of unarmed combat. Enlightened Madness, Part One, by Rich Wulf Details Goblin Cities * Big Stink / Haikyo sano Kappa Goblin Clans * Bangjaw Clan * Biteeye Clan * Eyepoke Clan * Glutfinger Clan * Mucker'bout Clan * Slobberknuckle Clan See Also * Denizens of the Shadowlands for a list of known goblins. * Mountain Goblin * Goblin Culture/Meta * Goblin/Meta * Category:Articles with Pictures